Three year prospective follow up of the peritoneal access

Peritoneal access-related complications were prospectively studied in 54 peritoneal catheters placed in 49 patients between January 1994 and December 96 in a single centre. There were no perioperative complications. Five (9%) catheters were removed because of catheter-derived complications (3 outflow obstruction, 2 leak), 4 (7.4%) because of peritonitis and 1 was spontaneously extruded. Complications included 4 (7.4%) migrations with outflow obstruction, 6 (11%) leaks and 27 episodes of exit site infection occurring in 16 (30%) catheters. Six catheters suffered more than one infection. Exit site infection in the first month after catheter placement is a risk factor for multiple exit site infections by different bacteria and for catheter removal.